Tomatoes with open rope support System

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TomatoesS 26 June 2009 Tomatoes with open rope support System
I will limit the removal of the suckers, since I am of the opinion that one gets better quality tomatoes by limiting sucker removal. The ropes make supporting the side shoots convenient. Some plants are supported by cages, since I did not make enough overhead supports. Tomato growth has been slow, since we have been exposed to cool weather over the last month. The heat has finally arrived.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SummaryT Tomato Growing Summary 2009

[Contrary Housewife]

What do you mean by "suckers"?

[Durgan]

What do you mean by "suckers"?

Here is an article about the suckers. There is much information written about tomatoes, and often there is little objective evidence to support the views expressed. Some views are downright nonsense using my experience as a guide.

http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/...-tomatoes.aspx

[frugalfranny]

[QUOTE=Durgan;1192960]Here is an article about the suckers. There is much information written about tomatoes, and often there is little objective evidence to support the views expressed. Some views are downright nonsense using my experience as a guide.
QUOTE]

I agree Durgan. It took me lots of years to finally realize that just because it was printed in a garden book didn't necessarily make it 'so' for my area. Whew...the lessons I learned the hard way.

The only time I 'prune/trim' my tomatoes is at the end of the season when I want them to hurry up and ripen what is on the plant and not send out any more blooms/fruit, as I know they won't have time to ripen.

Would be interested in knowing exactly how you PLANT your tomatoes though??? IE: depending on size of plant, I take off, at least, the bottom set of leaves and preferably the bottom two sets of leaves and then plant it almost to the set of leaves after that.
what do you do?